Brewster County, Texas · Alpine
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Pipes freeze in Brewster County on about 2 nights a year, mostly January. Older homes, 24% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 0.5 times a year here, most often in June. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Brewster County spike on heavy-rain days, about 0.5 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 33 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
17% of occupied homes in Brewster County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Texas county median of 6.5%.
About 103 nights a year here stay at 65°F or warmer, so basements and crawl spaces can grow mold even without a leak.
Local risk profile
Brewster County covers 6,184 square miles of western Texas, with about 9,503 residents and 5,917 homes. Alpine is the county seat; Marathon, Terlingua and Study Butte are the next largest communities. Half the homes here were built before 1979, half after.
33/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate Brewster County ranks 221 of 232 Texas counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Brewster County ranks highest compared with other Texas counties.
Pipe-freeze risk in Brewster County sits near the middle of the state. It averaged 33 freezing nights a year over 2015–2024, 2 of them at 20°F or colder, cold enough for pipes in outside walls and crawl spaces to freeze. Among 232 Texas counties that's 126th.
Most freezing nights fall from January, peaking in January. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard frost, and keep the heat at 55°F or higher if you'll be away.
Freezing nights typically start around Nov 18 and end around Feb 28.
Brewster gets fewer downpours than most Texas counties, but they still fill basements. The county gets about 11.7 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 0.5 days of an inch or more (231st of 232). Those downpours cluster in May, June and September, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 1.73 inches on May 22, 2017. The worst three-day stretch dropped 2.02 inches, ending September 27, 2016, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 33 times a year here. They're the main driver of ice dams and of water working its way through foundation cracks in late winter.
Housing
Texas's 232 counties range widely in housing age; Brewster ranks 91st, with 51% of its homes built before 1980.
Before 1960 is when 24% of these homes went up. Galvanized supply lines and cast iron drains were standard then, and after 60-plus years both corrode and crack, often out of sight inside a wall or under a slab.
Manufactured and mobile homes make up 15% of the housing here. Water lines in the underbelly depend on intact skirting and working heat tape, and they're usually the first to freeze in a cold snap.
Renters occupy 38% of homes. If you rent, the building is usually the landlord's to repair, but your belongings are only covered by renters insurance.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 103 times a year here, below the Texas county median of 129. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectBy main heating fuel, Brewster County homes break down as 24% utility gas, 57% electric, 17% propane and under 1% wood. Propane heat is above the Texas norm. Annual chimney and vent inspection, which the NFPA recommends, is one of the most effective fire-prevention habits for these homes.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Brewster County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Pecos gets more pipe-freeze nights than Brewster. Its housing is the oldest in the area by share of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Brewster | Texas median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 24% | 20% | 91 of 232 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 51% | 46% | 91 of 232 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 28% | 26% | 103 of 232 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 15% | 13% | 95 of 232 |
| Vacant homes | 16% | 17% | 118 of 232 |
| Wood or propane heat | 17% | 6.5% | 17 of 232 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 2/yr | 3/yr | 126 of 232 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 0.5/yr | 7.8/yr | 231 of 232 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 33/yr | 27/yr | 87 of 232 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 103/yr | 129/yr | 189 of 232 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Texas county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Brewster County: freezing from January, heavy rain in May, June and September.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology